


Love Holds No Boundaries

by SincerelyShania



Category: Naruto
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kidnapping, M/M, Post-Naruto Time Skip | Naruto Shippuden, Romance, Sex, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 01:57:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SincerelyShania/pseuds/SincerelyShania
Summary: As an apprentice to the great Lady Tsunade, Sakura possesses impressive skills, especially medically. When the notorious Itachi Uchiha takes notice of her special qualities, Sakura's life will be changed forever. Rated M for later chapters.





	1. On The Way

There was once a time when she could say she was happy, and truly mean it; there was once a time when she could embrace all of her feelings and acceptance would come easily; there was once a time when the meaning of life appeared to be black and white, and she was certain of what path she strove to follow... Those times seemed to be so long ago.

At sixteen, Sakura Haruno was a kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She proved to possess skill sufficient enough to not only train under Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, but to excel in her studies, even surpassing Tsunade's mastery of medical ninjutsu and chakra control when she was her age. In the time she was not training with her mentor, she took up duties at the hospital. At one point, the bubblegum-haired ninja could never have thought of herself as being good for anything; she felt she had little to nothing to contribute as a shinobi. Now, she had finally found things she was proficient at, but, for some strange reason, she could not help but feel even more dissatisfied than she had before. She loved the work she did, but a nagging voice within her always seemed to hint that there was something more for her in the world than what she was accepting as good enough.

This critical, self-reflective point in her life was where her real journey started. Just like Naruto and Sasuke had before her, Sakura was about to have to stray from the linear path she believed to be right in order to open her eyes to new possibilities and try to decipher what her heart truly yearned for.

* * *

"Ugh, my head is killing me!"

Tsunade sank back in her chair and began to rub her temples with her index and middle fingers. Sakura had foreseen this predicament coming. The legendary female sannin had traits that she really idolized, and then, she possessed other characteristics that were the equivalent of a stain on her otherwise brilliant picture... Drinking was one of those damaging qualities.

Silence filled the cluttered office for a few moments as the agitated Hokage attempted to relax and allow her headache to ease away. Finally composing herself with a deep sigh, she addressed her apprentice.

"Sakura, I have a job for you. I need you to run over to the Saranogi Sanctuary to the north of the village and deliver informative scrolls. The personnel there need them for some high priority medical research. Would you mind taking on this mission for me?"

The young student was no fool; she was fully aware that Tsunade's question posed as a mere courtesy to make Sakura feel less inconvenienced at taking on a mission that required her to temporarily abandon her ultimate duties as a medical kunoichi. Actually admitting that she _did_ mind accepting her request was never an option. So, in typical fashion, she resolved to agreeing to transport the necessary documents so that she could return to the responsibilities that demanded her attention within the Hidden Leaf walls.

"No, I don't mind at all! A mission like this shouldn't pose too much of a problem. I should only be gone about a week, at most, and that's considering some delays."

A grin pulled at the blonde-haired woman's lips as she placed her right elbow on her desk and rested her chin in her upturned palm. "Letting me know how long I should expect you gone before I start worrying? I'd like to think you'd have acquired more confidence than that by now. You are, after all, my apprentice," she teased, permitting her expression to soften a bit before continuing to speak. "Thank you for running this errand for me without complaint. I know that Naruto hasn't been back from his training with Jiraiya for long, but as much as I would love to give the two of you more time to catch up, things have been getting increasingly busy, not to mention chaotic, and I'm forced to take help wherever I can get it."

"Really, it's fine, my Lady. I understand that times have been demanding lately," the emerald-eyed kunoichi reassured, offering an encouraging smile. Swiveling gracefully on her heel, she spun around to face the door, cautiously making her way over the multitude of books, papers, scrolls, and other items that littered the floor in her walk toward the exit. "I'll make sure to finish this up quickly. That way, I can be back on hand if you need me for anything else. See you soon!"

Sakura's farewell received an appreciative nod from her exhausted mentor, and with that, she began the trip home to pack for her travels.

* * *

Sakura managed to get decent distance in the previous day before needing to retire for the night and recuperate. Now, on the second morning of her journey, she was heading toward her destination once more, leisurely leaping through the sturdy branches of towering trees, their leaves rustling softly as a cool breeze enticed them to dance. It was proving to be a beautiful day. Fluffy white clouds spotted the light blue sky, aimlessly drifting along to unknown locations to which the gentle wind would eventually deliver them. Warm, but nowhere near stifling, weather had been allowing for a pleasant trip so far, the sun's rays cascading down and caressing all that dwelt beneath them.

The content young woman hummed a relaxing, cheery tune as she pushed onward; however, her song was cut short when a crunching noise erupted from behind her--the crackle of leaves an unmistakable sign that someone was pursuing her. _"Probably just some petty bandits. There's not much around her for miles,"_ she pondered to herself, abruptly dropping to the forest floor in a swift and silent motion. It took her a mere second to spin around on her heel to prepare to face the potential enemy, which she had speedily surveyed for before descending from the tree canopy and confirmed that they were nowhere within sight, yet still, upon turning to face the direction of the noises that alerted her to the possible danger, she was met with two scarlet eyes immediately in front of her, staring back into her own green orbs intently.

Startled, Sakura jumped backward, her feet lifting over her head effortlessly before swinging downward and colliding with the soft soil underneath them a few yards away from the pursuers. Focusing her gaze on her assailants, her eyes widened. "N-No... It can't be..." she muttered to herself, involuntarily taking a step back and away from the terrifying sight that she had been met with: standing, poised, in front of her, with raven-colored hair tied in a low ponytail and his left arm poking out from the half-done buttons of his black cloak with red clouds adorning it, was none other than Itachi Uchiha, the man who murdered the entirety of his clan, save for his younger brother and her former teammate Sasuke, in a single night. To his right, Kisame Hoshigaki, another notorious criminal who also deserted his village after inciting chaos, used an enormous sword wrapped in gauze as support for him to lean on as the corners of his mouth pulled up into a mischievous smirk, exposing his razor sharp teeth. 

"Hello, Girlie. It appears you'll be coming with us. Aren't you a lucky one?" Kisame's voice was rough and sinister as it flowed from his lips, grating against the medical kunoichi's very being and sending a chill down her spine. He resembled a shark, possessing gray skin, gills on his cheeks, and predatory black eyes, but his likeness to the creature obviously went beyond his appearance; his presence alone evoked the same fear that a hungry Great White locked onto its unfortunate prey might. 

This would be Sakura's first time meeting either of these wanted men, or any members of the criminal organization called the Akatsuki, for that matter, but she had read up on them plenty while going through her studies in the village. Though each individual within the group managed to maintain a concerning level of obscurity despite efforts to uncover telling data on any one of them, even someone from the Hidden Leaf Village such as Itachi, there remained at least one blaring, prominent consensus among everyone who was able to dig up information of them: they were not people that any shinobi would want to come face-to-face with. 

A bead of sweat trailed down Sakura's face. She had no idea what these rogue ninja wanted with her, but she knew for sure that she did not plan on allowing them to take her without a fight, for her sake as well as her village's. Building up enough resolve to fuel her through the fear, she clenched her right fist and drove it into the ground. As if she had command over the Earth itself, the land split in two from the impact of her superhuman punch, causing Itachi and Kisame to separate in an attempt to avoid falling into the large fissure she produced. Kisame jumped to her left, Itachi to her right, and she used the opportunity to advance toward the shark-like criminal. 

The intimidating young woman possessed strength but lacked in speed, so her attempt at an attack, as she expected, was quickly acknowledged; continuing on as though it had not been, she once again clenched her fist for another blow, swinging it toward Kisame in a decisive motion. He dodged to her right slightly, dragging his sword across the ground behind him before swinging it upward toward her outstretched arm. Hurriedly using her left hand to push off against the flat part of the sword, she launched herself above him. Descending rapidly, she thrusted her fist into his jaw, sending him flying into the trunk of a monumental tree behind him. A loud, pained groan escaped his throat as he made contact with it, earning a confident grin from Sakura. 

"Hmph! I hope that'll teach you to--" the medical ninjutsu user was abruptly cut off by a sharp pain to her stomach. Glancing down, her gaze followed a fist pressed firmly against her abdomen up the arm and to crimson eyes. Her own emerald orbs quivered under Itachi's intense stare momentarily before she lurched forward, the full extent of the damage done by his precise punch finally catching up with her. She remained conscious long enough to see blood spew from her mouth and hit the ground below, but, following this, lost consciousness almost immediately, her slender body going limp over-top her assailant's arm.

Recovering from her assault, Kisame made his way over to Sakura and Itachi, massaging his jaw in the process. "That kind of hurt. Remind me to pay her back for that later," he stated, grinning once more to reveal his bloodied gums and teeth. 

Itachi failed to reply to his companion's remark; instead, he effortlessly tossed Sakura over his shoulder,and began the trek back to the Akatsuki hideout. 


	2. It Must Be Done

Darkness, silence, and then...

Sakura jolted out of her unconscious stupor, immediately regretting her decision to sit upright so hastily. A sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, causing her to instinctively throw her arms over her stomach in a comforting self-embrace, as if the gesture might relieve her of her discomfort. Groaning softly and removing her arms from her waist, she carefully pulled at the bottom of the fabric of her red, sleeveless shirt until it exposed her midsection, halting once it reached her sternum. To the left of her navel was a sickly purple bruise resembling paint that had been poured straight onto a canvas and had fanned out--a lingering reminder of the forceful punch to the gut she received.

The medical ninjutsu user gently placed her right hand on the prominent blemish and began channeling her chakra. A warm green glow enveloped the area she was touching, signifying that the healing had begun. She initially winced at the sensation but quickly found relief in it, sighing as the discomfort eased into nothingness. Regaining her composure at ridding herself of the pain, she took the opportunity to shift her focus to surveying her surroundings.

Three dark gray cement walls confined Sakura within them, the other edge of her prison blocked off by thick, durable steel bars. The cell she resided in was completely barren, save for a few chains and shackles bolted to the inside of the enclosure. The only things that she could see passed the bars were a narrow hallway immediately outside of her lockup and parallel to it, preventing her from making out where it led, and two torches mounted on the outer wall. Although Sakura was grateful for the fire illuminating the otherwise light-less room, it failed to improve upon the ambiance, which remained dark and foreboding as the flames danced around and cast playful shadows on each surface their light could reach.

 _"Where... Where am I? How could I let this happen...?"_ the distraught kunoichi thought to herself, her mind racing as she cautiously made her way to her feet. Glancing down, she noted how filthy she had managed to become in the scuffle and during whatever her captors might have done with her following the blackout she experienced. Her shirt and typically pinkish-gray apron skirt were strewn with green and brown grass and soil stains.

Sakura attempted to take a step forward, wanting to make her way over to the cell bars, but fell to her hands and knees abruptly, suddenly feeling drained of all her energy. Panting, she listened apprehensively as the screeching sound of a heavy metal door scraping across a cement floor echoed from somewhere down the hallway and out of her view. The thud of footsteps filled the dense air next, each thump of a foot colliding with the earth beneath it causing her to flinch slightly. Two humanoid silhouettes decorated the ground in front of her as the thudding of feet came to a halt, and she glanced upward to catch a glimpse of the individuals casting the shadows.

To Sakura's dismay, she was, once again, met with the view of Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. They towered over her menacingly from the other side of the steel bars, staring down at her in her vulnerable condition like wolves waiting for a wounded deer to collapse. Kisame's frenzied gaze was unsettling enough, his black orbs glinting with hunger and impishness, but what caused her even more unease was the stoic Uchiha. His stare was not as blatantly threatening, but emotionless; his eyes held no light, no quality betraying what he might really be thinking or feeling inside, and the uncertainty instilled primal fear in the exhausted young woman.

"Well, well. Finally feeling the effects of me draining your chakra, eh?" Kisame goaded, breaking the thick silence that was previously beginning to weigh down on Sakura's sanity. "I left enough juice for you to heal the wound Itachi inflicted on you, but no more than that. Wouldn't want you to have access to your abnormal physical strength, now would we? Thanks for that punch to the jaw, by the way, little girl. As fate would have it, you're a lucky one. Since my partner here needs you, my hands are tied... for now. I'll just have to wait to teach you a lesson on manners. Oh, how I wish I could rip you to shreds with my Shark Skin Sword, Samehada, right this moment. He's already had a taste of your chakra, and the poor thing is desperate for the last few drops."

"Yeah, well, let me out of here and I'll give you and your sword another piece of me!" Sakura retorted, the wide, condescending smirk plastered on the shark-like swordsman's face making her want to vomit. Struggling to her feet, she clenched her weakened fists before continuing to speak. "Now, what do you two jerks want with me? What could I _possibly_ have that a couple of S-rank criminals are seeking out so meticulously?"

Although it had not previously seemed possible, Kisame's grin widened even further. Chuckling slyly, he explained, "You see, my 'friend' here has been experiencing some rather impairing difficulties with his eyes. We've brought you here to repair them."

The medical ninjutsu user scoffed, unconvinced. "And that's it? There are plenty of successful medical ninja throughout the nations capable of mending ocular trauma, so why go through the trouble of getting me specifically? Plus, what makes you think I'd ever help scum like the Akatsuki?!"

"That's simple; you're gonna help us because you don't have a choice. You can either restore Itachi's eyes, or we'll have no use for you. We couldn't very well let you just waltz out of here and risk you relaying our location to that pesky Hokage of yours, so I think you can imagine what we would be forced to do, should you decide to be stubborn about this situation."

Sakura's breath hitched in her throat at Kisame's ultimatum. Her duty as a shinobi was to protect the Hidden Leaf Village and those who could not defend themselves, and accepting her captors' request would indirectly support the opposite of what she stood for; however, were she to refuse, that would spell the end of her contribution as a ninja forever, her life cut short over indecision and pride. Fearing death, she thought of Tsunade; would her mentor want her to sacrifice her life, driven by the _possibility_ that her compliance _might_ end up causing the Village Hidden in the Leaves grief down the road, or would she encourage her to save herself and figure out how to clean up any resulting messes after the fact?

Sighing heavily in defeat, the mentally and physically drained kunoichi made her choice, certain that the presumably impatient men in front of her would have little to no problem disposing of her should she take too long to find her resolve to live.

"Alright, I... I accept. I'll see what I can do about healing his eyes, but please allow me to know at least this: why me? Why was I sought out instead of going for what was most convenient or more readily available?"

"It is because you are the only one who _can_ repair my damaged eyes." The sudden cold, collected tone of Itachi's voice startled Sakura. He had not spoken a word from the time he and his companion made their pursuit known before her brief altercation with them, and there was a surprising smoothness, an almost comforting quality, to the unhurried and self-assured fashion in which he talked--a trait she would not have expected to come across in a notorious criminal. 

Redirecting her attention to the topic at hand, Sakura responded hesitantly, her green orbs glinting with perplexity, "I'm the only one who can... What? What makes you believe that...?"

"I am aware that your immediate family, namely your mother and father, were slaughtered approximately a year ago to this day, leaving you with little in-depth knowledge of your clan or any living relatives that you were enlightened to. Still, it is baffling to me that you were not made wise to the Haruno clan's unique trait--a type of chakra that permits its user to excel at manipulating it and healing style jutsu. You mastered the teachings of Lady Tsunade astonishingly quickly, did you not? Have you ever stopped to wonder at your own skill? Even the Fifth Hokage herself was unable to grasp chakra control and medical ninjutsu with anywhere near the speed or efficiency as you. It is due to what I have explained to you that you are ideal, and necessary, to restoring my eyes back to a stable condition."

Once the Sharingan user concluded his speech, it was all Sakura could manage to blink, dumbfounded by the unprecedented information she had just been bombarded with. She admired the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans for their visual prowess and longevity respectively, and now, she was learning that she also came from a lineage possessing a special quality. How could she have been ignorant to such a significant fact...?

The staggered young woman's rampant inner musings were interrupted by Kisame's ominous voice piercing the silence. 

"Hey, Itachi. I'm feeling a bit famished. I think I'll excuse myself for a bite to eat... That is, if you won't be requiring my assistance with her?"

Itachi shot a glare to his right and toward his partner, light from the torches reflecting off of his currently onyx orbs and causing them to shimmer with intensity. Though faint, Sakura swore she could make out the swordsman's burly body flinch as his muscle's tightened under Itachi's sharp stare. _"Kisame must have offended him by insinuating that he might not be able to handle one measly girl..."_ she pondered inwardly, attentively watching as the shark-like man took his ally's scowl as indication enough to his answer and leisurely made his way out of sight to her left. Soon after, she heard the familiar scraping sound of the door, leading to what she assumed to be the rest of the Akatsuki hideout, opening and shutting. 

"U-Um, Itachi...?" Sakura spoke up tentatively, glad that the seemingly more volatile of her two captors had exited the area. Her company acknowledged her by re-averting his gaze toward her, his expression losing its previous edge and becoming enigmatic once again. "I know I've agreed to help you, not that I really have any other choice, but I know very little about the Sharingan. If the issues you're having with your eyes are being caused by it, I don't know if there will be much I can actually do. I have just about enough information on your dōjutsu to know that it lies beyond normal standards or comprehension."

The stoic Uchiha allowed his eyelids to slide shut, as if he were collecting his thoughts. Exhaling audibly, he replied. "It is as you've presumed; my eyesight is slowly failing me as a result of the Sharingan's overwhelming visual prowess. More than that, as my vision fades, so too does my life-force; I am becoming increasingly sickly as the blindness sets in. I have acquired countless books and scrolls pertaining to my eyes, and I plan to have you study them thoroughly in order to successfully cure them. Worry not about the possibility of failure at this moment. Now, come."

At finishing up his thoughts, Itachi pulled a small, golden key out of an inner pocket of his cloak. He swiftly stuck it into the cell door's lock and swung it open promptly, taking a couple of lengthy steps into the confined space. Sakura's first instinct was to back away--to put distance between her and the man that could end her life at any moment if he so desired; however, when she attempted to act on her primal drives, her chakra-drained body gave out, sending her stumbling backward and landing on her rear with a loud "plop". 

The dōjutsu user remained in place momentarily, his gaze jumping from spot to spot on Sakura's frame at a sedate pace. She trembled slightly under his stare; it held a potency she feared she may never become accustomed to, not that she cared to stick around long enough to find out if she could. He unhurriedly strolled over to her and extended his right hand, signifying that he would assist her in standing back up. The weakened kunoichi feared even the most minimal level of physical contact with her captor, but in order to avoid the chance of irritating him, she accepted his offer, outstretching her own hand and gripping onto his. He yanked her up effortlessly, using his body to halt the momentum of her own as she crashed into the front of him gently. As she struggled to get her wits about her, she lingered in her current position, noting how warm he felt even through the thick cloak. 

"I will escort you to my personal living quarters," Itachi started, taking a step backward once Sakura regained steady footing. "However, you must wear the blindfold I brought, as once we exit this holding area, we will briefly be outside, though still technically within the hideout parameters. To prevent you from viewing any identifying features of this location, I will be inhibiting your sight temporarily."

"You're really not just going to leave me chained up in this cell while I do the research that's required...?" Sakura questioned uncertainly as if her company were playing some cruel joke on her. 

"No," Itachi responded tersely. Whipping the aforementioned blindfold out of one of his pockets and firmly securing it around the medical ninjutsu user's eyes, he added, "Unless you would prefer to remain here?"

"No! I mean, uh... No, I would definitely much prefer the bedroom..."

"I thought as much."

Procuring a tight, but not harmful, grip on Sakura's right hand with his left, Itachi led her out of the holding area. She could feel the warmth of the sun as it shared its light with the world below--a familiar comfort to her during a time of such immense confusion and fright. Although the soft crunch of grass beneath her feet also offered some solace, she trailed behind her guide with exceeding caution, the apprehension of Itachi allowing her to run into something subconsciously causing her to resist his grasp by reducing her speed. 

As if her anxious silence had managed to do all of the explaining for her, the Sharingan wielder addressed Sakura. "Do not worry. I would gain nothing from allowing you to injure yourself by neglecting to escort you in a manner heedful of my surroundings."

Hesitantly believing his reassurance to be sound, Sakura obediently followed behind Itachi as he tugged her along. After entering what she assumed to be the main body of the Akatsuki hideout, they made their way through what seemed like an intricate network of hallways. Her body turned from one side to another as the intimidating Uchiha led her to the left here and to the right there in a pattern she struggled to make sense of until he had her come to a stop. She heard a door lightly creak shut immediately behind her, and shortly after, the world around her was illuminated once more. Her company gently pulled the blindfold from over her eyes, permitting her to examine her surroundings. 

The captive young woman was greeted with an unexpectedly pleasant sight. On the nearest end of the warm brown-colored wooden wall to her left was a closet, and at the far end of the wall to her right, she could make out the inside of a bathroom behind a door partially cracked opened. In front of her, the headboard positioned in the center of the wall, rested a king sized bed with black satin sheets, four large pillows with scarlet cases, and a quaint but convenient nightstand on either side. A wide, four panel window was also located in the center of the wall to her left with a bench beneath it for lounging. Most impressive about the room, however, proved to be a grand mural poking out from behind the bed.

The painting covered the entire expanse of the back wall. A cherry blossom tree was delicately depicted falling victim to a strong gust of wind, the petals of its pink flowers gracefully drifting to the lush, green ground below in one final act of beauty. Staring at the work of art, it was almost as if Sakura were in the moment, watching as the tree that was her namesake elegantly danced with a forceful summer breeze. 

"Wow... That might be the most impressive piece of art I've ever laid eyes on. It's absolutely beautiful," Sakura remarked in a hushed tone, speaking more to herself than to her captor. Directing her attention back toward him, she continued speaking. "I know it's an unimportant question, but do you know who the artist is...?"

Itachi scanned over the mural, his intense, smokey eyes seeming to catch on every detail. "I am the artist," he admitted tersely, his voice so low it was nearly a whisper. 

"Y-You?!" the shocked kunoichi blurted out before she could prevent herself from doing so. "Excuse my surprise; I didn't realize an S-rank criminal could create something so... breathtaking. I hadn't even heard you possessed any artistic skills in addition to your talent as a shinobi, much less to this extent..."

"...Yes, well, things are not always as black and white as they may seem." Gently brushing passed Sakura, the Sharingan user unbuttoned his cloak and folded it up neatly before placing it on the bottom edge of his bed. He hooked his fingers under the hem of his navy blue shirt and lifted it over his head in one swift motion, exposing half of his sculpted figure. Enemy or not, Sakura could not stop a deep red blush from decorating her cheeks. 

"W-W-What are you doing?!" the flushed kunoichi stuttered out, subconsciously certain that her innocence was about to be ripped from her. 

"Calm yourself. I merely wish to take a shower. I promise that you are safe so long as you tend to your duties and do not make any efforts to escape," Itachi replied, again accurately addressing her concern without her being required to explicitly state it. "You are welcome to have one yourself once I'm finished."

With that, Itachi made his way into the bathroom and carefully shut the door. Although he had left her unattended, Sakura knew better than to attempt to run. A shinobi with her abductor's skill would no doubt have systems in place in case she were to find herself feeling so bold. Not one to take unreasonable risks, she resigned to cautiously sitting on the edge of the bed before allowing herself to drift off into immersive thought. 


End file.
